I’m Michelle Vodrazka — gym owner, trainer, nutritionist, cookbook author, and content creator. After a lifetime spent doing a lot of what I was supposed to do, these days I’m focused on something much simpler: building a life I actually want to live.
I was born in Canada, spent grades 1 through 12 in Europe, went to university and grad school in the U.S., and eventually came back to Canada. I spent 18 years working a government desk job before leaving that world behind and taking a very different path. Ottawa is now our home base. I own Almonte Fitness Centre just outside the city, and my partner and I also own and run a 5-star Airbnb in Ottawa.
Travel and adventure are a big part of our life. We stay in hotels and Airbnbs, house and dog sit our way around different cities and countries, and spend a lot of time experiencing how other people live. I’m endlessly curious about the places we stay, the food we eat, the outdoor adventures we find, and the things that make a trip — or everyday life — better.
I’ve spent 35+ years in the fitness industry and earned around 20 certifications along the way. I believe advice should come from education and real-world experience — not simply whatever happens to be trending this week. But I’m also open-minded, curious, and always ready to learn something new.
I’ve written multiple cookbooks, including Help Yourself to Seconds and the bestselling Bodybuilding Meal Prep Cookbook. My focus has always been health and fitness, particularly for people who lift: healthy, high-protein meals that actually taste good.
That’s really what you’ll find here: honest answers and real experience. If I say something’s worth it, I mean it — and I’ll tell you just as quickly when it’s not.
My content brings all of those worlds together — fitness, food, travel, style and adventure — with the perspective of someone who actually lives them. I work with brands, destinations and businesses that are a natural fit for my life and my audience, creating content grounded in real experience rather than a scripted endorsement.
If you have a product, place or experience you think is worth discovering, I’d love to hear about it. For brand collaborations, partnerships and media inquiries, contact info@michellevodrazka.com.